Sailing on the wind (3/3)

Posted on 09 Feb 2016 @ 6:59pm by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim

3,099 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: Akkadia
Timeline: MD41, following part 2

Sensing the urgency behind the message, Wintrow nodded. "We'll return as soon as we are required to," he promised, "I do want you to show me around, especially the market." He wondered what 'meet the Twins' meant but he didn't want to upset her so he let the question lie for later. "What about souvenirs?" he queried, "is there anything other than fabric that I'd be permitted to take? I don't know many of your customs Wyndi...only of one which Allyndra undertook with me once. And she said it made me her brother...I'm not quite sure what it means truth to be told, other than that I get a sense of family from her."

"There is a general market. Things that are carved or made. There is also a few places for skin decoration such as this...." Wyndi rolled up her sleeves for a moment revealing intricate metallic bands that shimmered in the light and edged with jewels. "Mostly just sailors like us get them."

"I don't think Starfleet will allow such things," Wintrow commented as he admired her decorations, "it's too dangerous. But they are lovely and they suit you well." He smiled as he followed her around the market, admiring things at several stands. He held up a soft teinted shirt and held it out in front of him. "How does this look?" He picked up a second. "Or this?"

"Really?" Wyndi replied about the tatoo. "Well most of the Mothers of the Houses do not approve either since they think it distracts and makes us less suitable for matches. Personally, I think they are too staid and matches are more for bloodlines and House alliances anyway." She made a face.

As he picked up some shirts she nodded. "Other than the eyes, you're handsome enough that you make anything look good, but come let me show what we are here for and what I have in mind that you may like."

She lead the way deeper to the Trellium section. Already the sailors where here from the ship picking up boxes but there where a few stalls that had clothing for sale. She perused some of the items and then found what she was looking for. She turned and held up a shirt, quickly reversing it and pressing it against him. It was obviously cut for a male since it was not cut low in the back. The sleeves were long but full gathered at the wide cuffs, the neck was cut in a V shape. What made it stand out though was the fabric itself. While extremely soft and quickly warmed to the skin like Earth silk, little shimmers of rainbows scintillated down the fabric from any little movement. "Trellium silk. I have been told there is nothing like any place else." She shook her head, "If we had such here, you would make the most dashing Sky Captain. It suits you to my eyes. What think you?"

Knowing now that she was most definitely trying to flirt with him, Wintrow sighed as he held the shirt to his body. "Wyndi, about last night...I think you misunderstood. I'm not betrothed, I don't belong to anyone. I'm a free man and free to choose who I want to be with. I don't know how this works in your culture, but the Betazoid culture is fairly open. Human too though we tend to be...monogame. While I'm not involved with anyone at the moment, there's a young woman back home that I do like very much and I think she needs me. Needs my help, I mean....I don't know if she likes me the same as I like her."

He made a point of staring at the shirt, feeling the soft fabric against his skin. "This is a lovely shirt," he contiued, changing the subject, "do you want me to try it on? "

"Of course!" Wyndi replied. "As I said, you would look quite dashing."

He shrugged out of his shirt and handed it to her, obviously not perturbed at all by the fact that he stood in the middle of a market, semi dressed. He pulled the new shirt over his head and stuck the arms through the proper holes before settling the shirt around his thin frame. "It is nice and warm," he commented.

Wyndi nodded and jerked her head. "Come on, a bit more to see before we depart." She fell into step beside him. "Until our House arranges a marriage we are pretty much allowed to have relationships. While mostly it is encouraged to attend to an Irsemia House...." She trailed off. "Let me think."
She stopped pondering for a moment. "I guess the literal translation would be something like virgin house. It is a place that unmarried or widowed woman can go to have sexual relations. Populated by infertile males." She shrugged. "I have been to a few, better them then amoung the crew. Captain laying with the crew is bad for discipline if you know what I mean. Anyway, I can not help myself. Your something new and different, something we rarely get to experience. Can't help a girl for dreaming." She laughed that musical laugh but it was hearty and people looked.

"I..." Wintrow quickly paid for the shirt, and stuffed his old one in a bag before hurrying after her. "You mean it's sort of...a brothel?" he queried curiously, still not quite sure how to respond to her flirtations. He wasn't sure if there were any expectations of him, being an alien on this world. Certainly, he was curious too, but he didn't want to overstep any rules and regulations. Nor did he want to make himself look bad in Allyndra's eyes because techncially, he was her guest. "Wyndi...what are your expectations of me? What do you want of me? I get the feeling...you want something...."

Wyndi interrupted before Win could pay. She shook her head, "You are guest of Warraquim. The House incurs the expense. It would be considered impolite otherwise." She said that quietly so as not to embarrass. She walked along snatching and paying quickly for one of the fruits that she noted he liked before. "My expectations of you are nothing at all." She looked at him. "As I said I cannot help curiosity. You are something new and I know nothing of your customs. If I am making you feel uncomfortable then I do appologize." She made a brief curtsy.

She looked up and waved a hand. "You have seen more in your life then I shall in my entire lifetime. I guess I am both curious, jealous and longing all at once. Whatever happens or does not." She looked at him. "These few days will be my most memorable. An experience that as things stand very few others here will ever have."

"Why not come with us for a while then?" Wintrow suggested as he caught up with her, "why not suggest exchange programs so that you do get to see some of the universe? I spent most of my life on Earth though...I saw my first alien when I was seventeen, after my father dropped me off on my first assignment. Sadly, that was the last time I saw my father...he was killed not long after that."

Wyndi shook her head. "You make it sound all so easy Win. I would have to go to my Guild and if they even thought to approve such a thing which I highly doubt, then it would be to the Council and as you might have noticed my friend they are most conservative." Wyndi found a seat and took it waving to Win to take one beside her. She looked out over the market. "We are taught that in our past there was a great tragedy. We tried to reach too far too fast and it lead to us almost getting erased from the world. Every school age child is taught: 'We put away the past in order to preserve the future'." Wyndi turned to look at Win for a moment. "What all that was," she shrugged, "is not known anymore except maybe to House Warraquim. They keep all the records and tales are that even there most of those Guild members do not know what all they have or do not have. Ask your host, perhaps she will might divulge a bit." Wyndi went silent staring out at the crowd.

"My host....treats me as a little brother," Wintrow answered slowly as he sat down, "it's probably one of the reasons I was invited to come. She's been teaching me to fly, you see...with wings..." He looked down at his hands, which folded in his lap. "She bit me..." He quickly looked up as if to defend her. "Not without reason...she really helped me after she did that...I was in great pain... and later... when she did it, I allowed it to help her." He didn't tell her that he'd also tasted her blood in return. He wasn't sure if he could, or should.

Wyndi listened and shook her head. "With wings? Males do not have wings or at least not very often anymore but perhaps your kind are different." She shook her head. "So you shared a blood kiss, that is more for lovers but then perhaps she had something else in mind. Usually only shared between lovers, relatives or extremely close friends. If I understand from what you have said then in some respects," She leaned over and tapped the emblem. "You have sort of become a Guild member of that House."

She thought a moment and said, "Do you know that we are all born at sea. We lay our eggs in the shallow reefs, they hatch and we all start off spending a year at sea. Those that survive return to where they are born and then the mothers come to gather them in. In some cases, the mothers do not make it for various reasons and the K'tareth and then gathered into a new House. So it sounds as if Warraquim Mother named has basically gathered you into her House. Impressive, then I should really be addressing you as Wintrow illm Warraquim." She stood and then turned to face him and dropped into a very deep curtsy her head bent down. Her voice was solemn as she spoke again.
"Truely Wintrow illm Warraquim, I apologize for my behaviour, it has not brought honour on myself or my House."

Startled by the sudden difference in her use of his name, Wintrow turned scarlet. "Please..I'm just Wintrow...please just call me Win or Wintrow. I don't know that I'm a member of Doctor Warraquim's house. She helped me when my life was in danger, and I helped her when there was no other source for blood available to her. I'd gladly do it again, even for you if I had to. While I recognize the deeper meaning, for me it was about helping someone I care about."

Wyndi held her position. Her words were a bit strained though. "You are a remarkably caring individual. Ummm........such a formal position for us cuts the air off...." The words were more gaspy. "We must hold it until given permission to release or we pass out and I am afraid the later is not far off..."

Startled, Wintrow approached and held her. "Please...don't strain yourself on my behalf, do please get up...and don't do that again. I'm just me, I'm no-one special and I don't want special treatment....don't make yourself uncomfortable on my behalf."

Wyndi stood and took several deep breaths. She shook her head, "Oh yes you are, well here you are. Look, Win, there are a lot of very formal customs here. It is the way things are." She took a seat again next to him. "We are taught that a long time ago we nearly destroyed ourselves. Warred with each other and to the point that even the world was nearly ravaged. The chaos ended but out it came a lot of formality and setting of ways, and rankings and hierarchy so that it would not happen again. And thus it has been for many millennia." Wyndi leaned over and smacked Win on the leg, her old self coming back. "Enough history, think you got the idea of sailing good enough to get us out of port?"

At the smack on his leg, Wintrow went very, very silent and he seemed to flinch and withdraw for a few seconds. A look of shock and fear flashed across his handsome features before he nodded slowly. He drew in a few breaths before replying. "I can try," he replied, pushing himself back to his feet. "Got to get back to the ship first though, don't we?" he suggested, grabbing her hand to pull her up with him.

"My appologies Win," Wyndi said as she noted the reaction. There was something there. Something about physical contact and she was not sure what it was. Perhaps something in his culture, in his past, but she vowed to be careful and avoid anything like that. She wanted this to be a pleasant memory. She was then surprised when he grabbed her hand and felt that strength.

---
The stroll back had been easy. And Win had picked up the art very quickly perhaps it was from his knowledge of his own world of using sails on boats. The voyage back had been fairly uneventful, no squalls this time to contend with and soon they were back from which they had started a scant few days ago. Already there where people from House Warraquim waiting to whisk him away.

Wyndi stood at the top of the landing ramp. She nodded toward the small group. "Looks like your required very quickly. Fair winds, Win, it was a pleasure. Here," she pressed a box into his hands. "A little something to remember this and maybe me by when you get to sail among the stars. Maybe my daughter, my daughter's daughter might if things change." There were tears that threatened and Wyndi turned suddenly walking away shouting orders.

Before the waiting people could usher him away, Wintrow pulled her back by the arm before she got too far. He kissed her cheek somewhat soundly then gave her a shy and grateful smile. "Thank you, for this wonderful experience," he said sincerely, "I would said with you, anytime you need another hand. Maybe someday, I'll come back here. Maybe, you can visit Galileo sometime...even pilots need time away."

Wyndi bit off an order and jumped at the kiss on the cheek. She nodded and there were tears. "Go on, Wintrow illm Warraquim, before you make me cry in front of the crew." She made a quick swipe at her face. She then made a quick bob of a curtsy. "May breezes blow gently, may fair winds betide you, may the Twins protect you and guide you and return you safely to shore." She then turned again.

As she turned and walked away a second time, he briefly opened the box to take a peek at what she'd given him. Tears formed in his eyes as he beheld a replica of the sky ship, delicately carved in clear crystal. Then, Wintrow followed the servants that had come to pick him up, sensing their urgency. "What's going on?" he asked, "where is Allyndra? Is she alright? What about Doctor Voutilainen....is something wrong with them?"

The group all either bowed or curtsied depending on sex and one said, "Mother Ryaldi has gone to the Twins. The others are fine, but the new Mother has asked for you during this time of sorrow and change. Come Allyndra Mother named has asked for you."

"Oh no," Wintrow breathed sadly, "yes yes, please take me to her.

One woman indicated the way and the rest fell in to flank or follow. The woman that walked a step ahead remarked, "I hope you did not find the sailing ship too primitive. I suppose for one used to off world ships it felt ancient indeed. Was the Captain pleasant to you? The Guild will inquire about her behaviour."

"Oh I've sailed on ships far more primitive than the sky ship ma'am," the teenager replied happily, then blushed slightly. "She was more than pleasant ma'am, she was very hospitable. She even let me fly." He walked between the guild members, though he only addressed the lead female. "I don't think i've ever had this much fun sailing a ship ma'am...it's an experience I'll never forget and would love to do again sometime." He hesitated. "If permitted, of course... she told me the males of your race don't fly?"

The woman considered for a moment. "Wings of their own? No, they do not have them. Well, I should say, rarely. It is not unknown that it happens sometimes. There are indications that a very long time ago they might once have had them." She made a small odd shrug, that kind of rolling shoulder motion. "I would imagine that with the sky ships there was no longer any need for them since no longer needed them to get from island to island. Or it is a trait that was selected out. Perhaps, assign some students to research the reason." She nodded again as though coming to her own agreement.
"I am glad to hear Wyndi illm Maki'ah comported herself well. The Sky Sailor Guild will be pleased. There was some controversy about her selection, that she was too brash, but in the end it was decided that perhaps that brashness might mesh well with handling a...." the woman paused and then said, "stranger to our House and Shore." She seemed to think off worlder or alien sounded impolite.

"Ah here we are, Mother named awaits within." She turned and the rest of retinue seemed to move almost as one as well and made bows or curtsies depending on sex and then departed.

"Thank you." Wintrow wasn't sure if he was expected to bow so instead offered a slight inclination of his head, before pushing through the doors. "Allyndra?" he queried as he entered, "are you alright? I just heard about uh..your mother?"

TBC In Some Revelations, Some Favours

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LCmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo
also NPC Wyndi illm Mak'iah

Cadet SO Wintrow Paragon
Support Craft Pilot
USS Galileo
pnpc Tyrion

 

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